By Kyle LoJacono
Wiregrass Ranch High senior basketball player Tanner Carey comes from a family that is accustomed to athletic success.
“I have to keep up with my family standards,” Carey said. “Everyone in my family has gone to college and played athletics and I’m the next one in line. I want to continue that.”
Carey’s father Scott ran track at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). His cousin Lindey also attended IPFW, but to play basketball. Carey’s other cousin Lance played football at St. Francis University and his uncle Don played basketball at Ball State.
All those college athletes would be pressure enough, but his sister Ashley was also the leading scorer for Hillsborough County Community College for the 2009-10 season.
“We have that sibling rivalry,” Carey said. “We’ve gone back and forth about who the better player is. It’s fun.”
Carey currently leads Wiregrass Ranch with 13.6 points per game, while also adding 38 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.
While his sister has playing in college on her resume, Carey will likely leave Wiregrass Ranch with a record that will stand the test of time
“He’s a four-year starter for us,” said Bulls basketball coach Jeremy Calzone, who has coached Carey since he was a freshman. “If he stays healthy, he’ll leave here with a record that probably won’t be broken. He’ll have started more than 100 games by the end of this season. That says something for his ability to prepare himself to stay healthy all season and skilled enough to stay in the starting lineup.”
Calzone is sure Carey has both the game and grades to play at the next level.
“He can bang in the post and step out and shoot the three better than anyone we have,” Calzone said. “He’s really a good student too. Really all of our players are. We have a combined 3.3 unweighted grade point average. This is the first team I haven’t had to worry about grades with.”
Carey said some schools have been interested in him playing at their university, but he will worry about that after the season.
“I’m focusing on my senior season right now,” Carey said. “I want to go out with the first district championship for boys basketball here at Wiregrass Ranch. I’d like to be able to feel what that’s like and add a banner here.”
-All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches as of Dec. 20.
